Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/163

Rh and James. It was Denonville who reconimended the purchase of New York by the French.

DENT, Frederick Tracy, lawyer, b. in Cum- berland, Md.. in 1786; d. in 'Washington, D. C, 15 Dec, 1873. He was trained in commercial pursuits, and became a merchant in Pittsburg ami subse- quently in St. Louis, accumulated wealth, and had a wide reputation for hospitality. He was the father of Mrs. U. S. Grant. In politics Mr. Dent was a rigid and aggressive democrat, his views co- inciding with the Benton-Jackson school, and he held these opinions tenaciously to the last of his life. John W. Forney, in his "Anecdotes of Pub- lic Men," refers to him as a very interesting old gentleman, kind, humorous, and genteel, indicating an independent spirit in his views, and exhibiting a wonderfully retentive memory for by-gone days." Mr. Dent was a member of his son-in-law's house- hold after Gen. Grant became commander of the National armies, and his farm, " White Haven," near St. Louis, became the General's property. — His son, Frederick Tracy, soldier, b. in White Haven, St. Louis eo., Mo., 17 Dec, 1820 ; d. in Den- ver, Col., 24 Dec, 1892. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1843, and served on frontier duty and in garrison prior to the Mexi- can war, which he entered in 1847. He was en- gaged in the siege of Vera Cruz, the capture of JSan Antonio, and the battles of Churubusco. where he was severely wounded, and Molino del Rey, re- ceiving for gallant and meritorious conduct the brevets of 1st lieutenant and captain. He served thereafter on the Pacific railroad survey, on fron- tier duty in Idaho, in removing the Seminole In- dians, and at various points in Texas. Virginia, a,nd Washington territory, until he joined the Yakima expedition in 1856. He participated in the Spokane expedition in Washington territory, being engaged in the combat of " Four Lakes " in 1858, in that of Spokane Plain in the same year, and in the skirmish on that river. After frontier duty at P^ort Walla Walla he became a member of the Snake river, Oregon, expedition, to rescue the survivors of the massacre of Salmon Fall (1860), at which time, 1863, he was promoted to the rank of major, and was in command of a regiment in the Army of the Potomac in 1863, in New York city called to suppress anticipated riots, from Septem- ber, 1863, till January, 1864, serving as a member of the military commission for the trial of state prisoners from January till March, 1864, becoming then a staff officer with Lieut.-Gen. Grant, having the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Aide-de-camp dur- ing Grant's whole time as lieutenant-general, he was present in the battles and military operations of the Richmond campaign, and as military com- mander of the city of Richmond, and of the' garri- son of Washington, D. C, in 1865, and on the staff of the general-in-chief at Washington after 1866, as colonel, aide-de-camp, and secretary to Presi- dent Grant during his first term. For his gallant and meritorious services in the field during the civil war he was brevetted brigadier-general U. S. A. and brigadier-general of volunteers. He was trans- ferred to the 14th infantry in 1866, was made lieu- tenant-colonel of the 32d infantry in 1867, colonel of the 1st artillery in 1881, and at his own request, after forty years of service, was retired in December, 1883. — His brother, Louis, lawyer, b. in St. Louis in 1822 ; d. in Washington, D. C., 22 March, 1874, received a liberal education in his native city, and studied law. About 1850 he went to California, where he engaged in business, afterward holding the office of judge. In 1862 he returned to St. Louis, and from 1863 till 1867 was engaged in cot- ton-planting in Mississippi and Louisiana. He afterward practised law in Washington. During the reconstruction period he drifted into southern politics, having removed to Mississippi, and in 1869 was nominated for governor of that state by the National union republicans, a new party, organized on the basis of equal rights, general amnesty, and reconciliation; but he did not receive the support of the administration in the canvass. Prior to his nomination, President Grant wrote -to him: "I would regret to see you run for an office, and be defeated by my act ; but, as matters now look, I must throw the weight of my influence in favor of the party opposed to you." Judge Dent replied, defending his party. Although the democrats gave their votes to Mr. Dent, he received only half as many as Gov. Alcorn, the regular repuialican nominee. After this he settled in Washington.

DENT, George, member of congress, b. in Mary- land about 1760. He received a classical education. He was a representative in congress from Mary- land from 1793 till 1801, and was elected tempo- rary speaker during the illness of Speaker Dayton, 20 April, 1798. President Jefferson appointed him in 1801 F. S. marshal for the Potomac district.

DENT, John Charles, Canadian journalist, b. in Kendall. England, 8 Nov., 1841 ; d. in Toronto, Canada, 27 Sept., 1888. He went early to Canada, studied law, and practised a short time in Ontario, after which he returned to England, became a jour- nalist, and was on the staff of the London " Tele- graph." He returned again to Canada, was for three years employed on the Boston " Globe," and subsequently was on the staff' of the Toronto " Globe." He edited the " Canadian Portrait Gal- lery " (1880), and is the author of " Canada since the Union of 1841" (1881); '^ The Story of the Upper Canada Rebellion " (1885-6), etc.

DENT, John Herbert, naval officer, b. in Mary- land in 1782 ; d. in St. Bartholomew's parish, Mary- land, 31 July, 1823. He became a midshipman, i6 March, 1798, under Truxtun, in the frigate "Con- stellation," and WHS on board when she captured the French frigate " Insurgente," 1 Feb., 1799. He was appointed a lieutenant, 11 July, 1799, and was in the same ship when she took the French frigate " La Vengeance," 1 Feb., 1800. He was in com- mand of the schooners " Nautilus " and " Scourge," in Preble's squadron, during the Tripolitan war, and took part in the attacks on the city of Tripoli in 1804. He was commissioned' a master com- mander, 5 Sept., 1804, and a captain, 29 Dec, 1811.

DENTON, Richard, clergyman, b. in Yorkshire, England, in 1586 ; d. in Essex, England, in 1662. He was graduated at Cambridge in 1602, and was for seven years Presbyterian minister of Coley chapel, parish of Halifax, in the north of England. The act of uniformity compelled him to relinquish his charge and to emigrate to America, where he arrived in 1630, in company with John Winthrop and Sir Richard Saltonstall. He first went to Watertown, Mass. ; then in 1635 he began the settlement of Wethersfield. In 1641 his name appears among the early settlers of Stamford, and in 1644 he is recorded as one of the original proprietors of Hempstead, L. I., where he established a Presbyterian church in 1644. In 1659 he returned to England, where he remained until his death. He wrote "Soliloquia Sacra," which was much praised by his contemporaries. — His son, Daniel, wrote " A Brief Description of New York " (London, 1670), which was republished in New York in 1845, with notes by Gabriel Furman. This book is supposed to be the first printed description in English of New York and New Jersey.